December 19, 2007, Kevin Nesbitt of the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies demonstrated a specially modified Toyota Prius for Kerr's Computer Applications students. Students in this class are required to research Alternative Fuels for vehicles and produce a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation, highlighting the results of their research (project archives available here). This December, Kerr's students became the first public group, outside of legislative and major corporation leaders, to have this experimental Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) demonstrated for them.

This Toyota Prius has an added 5 kilowatthour battery from Hymotion installed in the trunk, effectively extending the all-electric mode up to 40 miles, during which travel the gasoline engine may never engage (up to 34 mph). With the larger battery pack, the equivalent miles per gallon results are capable of nearly double the standard Prius range. This demo vehicle operated well above 100 miles per gallon on the way to Kerr Middle School for our demonstration, exciting students who are all too aware of the rise in gasoline prices and the projected shortages of gasoline in the future.

Toyota's recent advertising campaigns have promoted as a desirable attribute that their hybrid electric vehicle does not need to be plugged in to operate. The advertisements have encouraged consumers to investigate their hybrid, because of its seamless operation, which does not require driver intervention to activate the EV mode. While this tactic has resulted in sales well beyond all industry expectations, many environmentalists have encouraged the auto industry to manufacture PHEVs, which were first developed by UC Davis' own, Professor Andy Frank (Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering). PHEVs have a large electric motor which may be driven by both the battery pack and the small gasoline engine (parallel mode) or may have the gasoline engine simply recharge the battery pack which directly powers the electric motor (series mode). The advantage of either parallel or series mode plug-in hybrids is that the recharging of the battery pack may take place at any location which provides a 110 volt outlet. The cost to the consumer in our S.M.U.D. electric area results in approximately $.70 to $.75 electric charge per equivalent gallon of gasoline. With solar arrays or wind generators on a consumer's property, the cost may be significantly lower and the net carbon footprint to produce the electric power is zero.

Joseph Kerr's Computer Applications students thank Kevin Nesbitt and UC Davis for allowing them a glimpse of their futures as they research alternatives to the current energy mix for transportation in our city, region, and world.

Alternative Fuel Vehicle Research Assignment

UCD Team Fate

PHEV Student Ride-Along (29MB Quicktime movie)

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